Jon Faddis - Into the Faddisphere (CD)

All Music Guide

At the age of 36, after many years in the shadow of his idol Dizzy Gillespie, trumpeter Jon Faddis was consciously going after developing his own voice. His rhythm section, led by pianist Renee Rosnes (who displays a style influenced by McCoy Tyner), is modern and Faddis plays six of his own compositions (in addition to Donald Brown's "The Early Bird" and "Ciribiribin"). But the trumpeter's seeming inability during this era to stay out of his upper register for more than a minute straight is often quite annoying, completely ruining the modal arrangement of "Ciribiribin." The title cut, a showcase for Faddis' high-note heroics, is also difficult to sit through. A disappointing mixed bag.

- Scott Yanow, All Music Guide